Prey motivation in dogs - instinct, drive and training opportunity

What is prey motivation?

Prey motivation describes a dog's inner drive to perceive, pursue, catch and hold on to moving stimuli. It is part of the natural prey-catching behaviour and is more or less pronounced in almost every dog - especially in hunting dogs, herding dogs or working breeds.

We - Lui & Paulina - experience again and again how underestimated this topic is. Prey motivation is not a "quirk", but a genetically anchored instinct that is often suppressed or misdirected in the modern world. Instead of fighting, we use it in training - as a motor for co-operation, focus and self-control.

How can I recognise a prey-motivated dog?

Typical signs are

• Strong reaction to movement (e.g. birds, cars, balls, joggers)

• High arousal with rapidly changing stimuli

• intense fixation, lurking or staring

• strong interest in tugging games or retrieving

• Difficulty ignoring stimuli as soon as "something is going on"

A dog with high prey motivation is not "crazy" - it simply has a very sensitive radar for moving prey.

Why is prey motivation important in training?

Prey motivation can be a curse or a blessing - depending on how it is practised. It cannot be "trained away", but it can be channelled and used. A dog that would go through fire for a ball can also be ideally rewarded with it - but can also quickly become over-excited. That's why at Vitomalia we always work on two things at the same time:

1. Channelling - allowing the dog to act out its instinct in a controlled manner (e.g. with retrieve training, nose work, dummy work)

2. Regulation - impulse control, calm exercises, focus training as a counterbalance

The key lies in balance.

Typical mistakes in dealing with prey motivation

• uncontrolled ball throwing (leads to stress, fixation and addictive behaviour)

• Lack of rest periods after the game

• Reward with movement without control (e.g. play as praise without the dog being "with itself")

• Frustration builds up due to permanent sensory overload without a solution

Prey motivation is powerful - but only if it is channelled sensibly.

Our approach at Vitomalia

We use prey motivation in everyday life and training to:

• strengthen the bond (shared experience of success)

• increase attention (stimuli are made responsive)

• Reduce excess energy in a targeted manner

• create positive associations (e.g. with recall or calmness)

To achieve this, we rely on structured forms of training such as controlled tugging, targeted impulse exercises and calm retrieving work.

Our conclusion

Prey motivation is not a problem - it is a gift if we can deal with it. It challenges us as humans to lead fairly, consistently and creatively.

Because a dog that is allowed to live out its instincts - in a controlled and accompanied manner - becomes more confident, more focussed and, above all, more content. And that is exactly what we want to achieve at Vitomalia.